PUNE:  It has come to the fore that the Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA) is likely to propose a transit-oriented development (TOD) charge on new residential and commercial buildings proposed close to the Hinjewadi Shivaji Nagar Metro line. The PMRDA’s plan is based on the model of its Mumbai counterpart, Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), which has proposed a charge for such projects near the Gundavali-Dahisar East Metro 7 line.

The  (MMRDA) has in its proposal pushed for TOD charge and taken Metro 7 as a pilot. The proposal is awaiting the urban development department’s clearance. 

According sources, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has held a round of meeting on the proposal. As per PMRDA Additional Commissioner Deepak Singla, “If the MMRDA gets the approval, we will also work out a similar proposal. The charges and distance between the buildings and the Metro line will be decided after we get the permission. Once the charges are approved for MMRDA, the rates can be worked out for the constructions along the Hinjewadi-Shivaji Nagar Metro line."

Though the developers usually make money from their projects built around the government infrastructure, the additional charges will benefit the authority this time. This will be essential to funnel some of the benefits back for overall development.